System and method for joining fabric items

Abstract

A system that includes a fabric joining device for manufacturing a fabric item. The fabric joining device includes a first section configured to releasably hold at least a first portion of a fabric item onto a surface of the first section. The fabric joining device also includes a second section configured to releasably hold at least a second portion of the fabric item onto a surface of the second section. One or more first actuators coupled to the second section and configured to rotate the second section toward the first section to fold the second portion of the fabric item onto the first portion of the fabric item and to press the first portion of the fabric item and the second portion of the fabric item together to join the first and second portions of the fabric item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fabric joining device comprising:
 a first section configured to releasably hold at least a first portion of a fabric item onto a surface of the first section;   a second section configured to releasably hold at least a second portion of the fabric item onto a surface of the second section; and   one or more first actuators coupled to the second section and configured to rotate the second section toward the first section to fold the second portion of the fabric item onto the first portion of the fabric item and to press the first portion of the fabric item and the second portion of the fabric item together to join the first and second portions of the fabric item.   
     
     
         2 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more third sections configured to releasably hold one or more third portions of the fabric item to respective surfaces of the one or more third sections; and   one or more second actuators coupled to the one or more third sections and configured to rotate the one or more third sections to fold the one or more third portions of the fabric item onto the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both, to position the one or more third portions of the fabric item for formation of a joint.   
     
     
         3 . The fabric joining device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more third sections include two or more third sections, and further comprising a spacer disposed between two sections of the two or more third sections. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric joining device of  claim 3 , wherein two sections of the two or more third sections rotate about non-parallel axes of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric joining device of  claim 3 , wherein the spacer has a wedge shape. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric joining device of  claim 3 , wherein the spacer is sized to provide a target offset distance between axes of rotation of the two sections of the two or more third sections. 
     
     
         7 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first actuators are configured to apply a pressure to a joint region of the second portion of the fabric item and a joint region of the first portion of the fabric item to form a joint therebetween, and further comprising a spacer positioned with respect to the first section and the second section to support a non-joint region of the first portion of the fabric item, a non-joint region of the second portion of the fabric item, or both. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric joining device of  claim 7 , wherein an axis of rotation of the second section passes through the spacer. 
     
     
         9 . The fabric joining device of  claim 7 , wherein an axis of rotation of the second section aligns with an edge of the spacer. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more additional sections configured to releasably hold one or more additional portions of the fabric item; and   one or more additional actuators coupled to the one or more additional sections and configured to rotate the one or more additional sections to fold the one or more additional portions of the fabric item onto one or more other portions of the fabric item.   
     
     
         11 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive applicator configured to, before rotation of the second section, apply an adhesive to a first joint region of the first portion of the fabric item, to a second joint region of the second portion of the fabric item, or both, such that pressing together the first portion of the fabric item and second portion of the fabric item adheres the first joint region and the second joint region to form a joint therebetween. 
     
     
         12 . The fabric joining device of  claim 11 , further comprising a curing system configured to cure the adhesive at the joint. 
     
     
         13 . The fabric joining device of  claim 12 , wherein the curing system is configured to apply heat, light, pressure, or a combination thereof, to the joint to cure the adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , wherein the first section, the second section, or both, further comprise alignment indicia indicating edge positions, fold positions, or both. 
     
     
         15 . The fabric joining device of  claim 14 , further comprising a placement apparatus configured to place the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both, based on the alignment indicia. 
     
     
         16 . The fabric joining device of  claim 15 , further comprising an alignment sensor configured to generate sensor data indicating a first position of the first portion of the fabric item relative to the alignment indicia, a second position of the second portion of the fabric item relative to the alignment indicia, or both. 
     
     
         17 . The fabric joining device of  claim 16 , wherein the placement apparatus is further configured to position the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both, based on the sensor data. 
     
     
         18 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to send control signals to the one or more first actuators during manufacturing of the fabric item that includes the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         19 . The fabric joining device of  claim 18 , wherein the fabric item is a garment. 
     
     
         20 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , wherein the first section, the second section, or both, further comprise a retention mechanism to releasably hold the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both, wherein the retention mechanism includes one or more of:
 a vacuum assembly,   a fold down frame assembly,   a hook and loop fastener assembly, or   a releasable adhesive assembly.   
     
     
         21 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , wherein the first section, the second section, or both, further comprise a masking template complementary to a shape of the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both. 
     
     
         22 . The fabric joining device of  claim 21 , wherein the masking template is removable and is sized based on a particular garment size being manufactured. 
     
     
         23 . The fabric joining device of  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the second section is configured to align an edge of the first portion of the fabric item and an edge of the second portion of the fabric item to form a butterfly joint therebetween. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the second section is configured to position the second portion of the fabric item with respect to one or more folded tabs of the first portion of the fabric item to form one or more lap joints. 
     
     
         25 . A method of manufacturing a fabric item, the method comprising:
 mounting a first portion of the fabric item onto a surface of a first section of a fabric joining device;   mounting a second portion of the fabric item onto a surface of a second section of the fabric joining device; and   rotating, using one or more first actuators of the fabric joining device, the second section toward the first section to fold the second portion of the fabric item onto the first portion of the fabric item and to press the first portion of the fabric item and the second portion of the fabric item together to join the first portion of the fabric item and second portion of the fabric item.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising rotating, using one or more second actuators of the fabric joining device, one or more third sections to fold one or more third portions of the fabric item onto the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 applying an adhesive to a first joint region of the first portion of the fabric item, to a second joint region of the second portion of the fabric item, or both, such that pressing together the first portion of the fabric item and second portion of the fabric item adheres the first joint region to the second joint region to form a joint therebetween.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising curing the adhesive at the joint. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising, after rotating the second section to press the first portion of the fabric item and the second portion of the fabric item together, removing the first portion of the fabric item and second portion of the fabric item from the first section and moving the first portion of the fabric item and the second portion of the fabric item to a curing system to cure the adhesive. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 generating sensor data indicating a first position of the first portion of the fabric item, a second position of the second portion of the fabric item, or both, relative to alignment indicia of the fabric joining device; and   positioning, using a placement apparatus, the first portion of the fabric item, the second portion of the fabric item, or both, based on the sensor data.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 mounting one or more additional portions of the fabric item onto one or more additional sections; and   rotating, using one or more additional actuators of the fabric joining device, the one or more additional sections to fold the one or more additional portions of the fabric item onto one or more other portions of the fabric item.